Marvel vs. Capcom 2

Two years and slightly longer load times later, Capcom's arcade-perfect fighter still fights with the 2D Elite.

The Marvel vs. Capcom series was a franchise that I always wanted to see more of. Not necessarily in that exact form (after all, how many times could the two companies clash before getting stagnant?), I always thought it would have been cool had Capcom used its Marvel license a little bit more effectively. A secret hope that I harbored the moment I'd finally grown less attached to Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes, a quiet part of me was crossing its fingers in anticipation of a Marvel vs. DC fighter that used the same engine. Once I realized that Capcom had no interest in the DC universe however, and that its passion for Marvel had since gone away, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and anything associated with it fell by the wayside. It was a great experience while it lasted sure, but there were other adventures that needed to be explored.

Imagine my surprise a few years later when I learned that Capcom was thinking of doing another installment. A total and immediate shock, the memories of my dream match and fun times I had with the first two games came rushing back to me like a slingshot. Could Capcom indeed be considering a DC showdown for Spider-Man and the boys? Or would the Marvel franchise be getting a huge overhaul with all-new features and goodies? As it turns out, the answer was neither -- and the rumblings I had heard weren't in anticipation for a new game in the series, but were instead that for a re-release. Now available for the PlayStation 2, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (sans the New Age of Heroes sub-title) would be making a triumphant return to console videogame market. And while there wouldn't be any new characters, costumes, or other such bonuses found within its code, the prospect of the game's only new feature -- Online play, had me reeling. Could this be too good to be true?

The answer unfortunately was yes. Though available in the Japanese PS2 release of MvC2, the online battle feature was completely removed from the domestic edition. While no reason was ever officially given or even addressed by the representatives at Capcom of America, the lack of an online mode came as truly disappointing news. If gamers already had this title for their Dreamcast, or were holding out for the Xbox Live version in just a few months, what reason was there to pick this game up? Anybody?

But then I sat down and started to play it again. And the more I fought my way through human and CPU opponents the more I realized just how great this game really was. So what if there isn't an online mode or any additional features in this edition when compared to the Dreamcast and Xbox versions? There are a huge number of people out there who never had a DC or ever plan on getting an Xbox. What about those people? Glad you asked.

Gameplay The first Capcom fighting game to use only four attack buttons instead of six, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 was a big departure from the conventional company fare. While it was a bit difficult to accept in 2000, it's a lot easier to embrace now (as most 2D battlers use the four-button structure anyway). Giving players light and strong attacks for both punches and kicks, fireball motions, hurricane kicks, and the like, the typical game would play out much like Street Fighter if not for a few key differences.

The most obvious of which is the three-person teams. Able to be called into battle at any time by pressing Square and X together or Triangle and Circle, finishing combos or beginning them with the right sequence of characters is key to taking out your opponent. And take them out you'll need to, as MvC2 has one of the most generous damage meters in the history of fighting games. Chip damage and traditional block/counter attack tactics are almost meaningless here -- it's all about going on the offensive should you want to win a game of Marvel vs. Capcom 2.

To support this mentality, just about every move in the game can be linked into another maneuver almost at will. Using a crazy combo system that can see the hit numbers reach the hundreds, the game is more one of memorization than anything else. While you can always bust out one of the characters super combinations with a forwards and backwards fireball and two attack buttons, the real damage from your attack comes from your ability to do aerial raves (air-based combos) and tag-chains. When combined with the individual assist option that each of your supporting two characters have (further broken into three types), your arsenal is pretty deep. Especially when you master the nuances of Super Cancels and to a lesser extent, Tech rolls, overheads, escape rolls, and hyper armor.